Cocktails YOUR Way: More Choice, Same Commitment to Craft

By LP O’Brien

One of the things I love most about cocktails is that there are many ways they can be made and enjoyed by guests. 

As a mixologist, I’ve always thought about a cocktail in terms of balance: how the spirit, acidity, sweetness, texture, and other ingredients or properties work together. Balance in a cocktail that is offered to a guest can also refer to creating the right drink for the person, the moment and the occasion.

Today, I’m seeing more people think intentionally about what they want from their drinking experience. Requests from guest range from wanting a classic cocktails, riffs on classics, low-abv options, no-alcohol beverages, something that offers nostalgia, or a drink that teaches them something new about spirits. What hasn’t changed is the expectation that whatever the guest orders should taste great and provide them with a personalized and memorable experience.

That idea is at the heart of Cocktails YOUR Way, a new campaign from the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) that I’m excited to be part of. It celebrates the flexibility that has always made cocktails special and gives people more ways to enjoy them based on their tastes, preferences and the occasion.